Battle of Syracuse

The Battle of Syracuse (34 BC) was a major battle of the War of the Second Triumvirate. Octavian landed in Sicily with his 1,000-strong Legio I Sicilianus with the objective of recapturing Sicily, which had fallen to a counterattack by Sextus Pompeius' forces in 36 BC. Sextus Pompeius' 1,600 Pompeian troops left Syracuse and met Octavian's army outside of the city in the spring of 34 BC. The odds were stacked against Octavian, but Octavian's army won a close victory against the Pompeians that resulted in the eventual reconquest of Sicily.

Background
During the Roman civil wars that followed Julius Caesar's death, Caesar's adoptive son and heir Gaius Octavius fought against the son of Caesar's late archenemy Pompey the Great, Sextus Pompeius. Octavius, better known as "Octavian" and later "Augustus", controlled Italy and Gaul while Sextus Pompeius' lands were limited to Sardinia, Corsica, and Sicily, and by 40 BC Sicily had completely fallen to Octavian's forces. However, Pompeius took advantage of Octavian's concurrent war with Marcus Aemilius Lepidus by reconquering Sicily while Octavian was conquering North Africa, and Legio IX Ferrata was destroyed in the defense of the city of Syracuse from the Pompeian forces. Octavian and his experienced Legio I Sicilianus - more famously known as the "Sicilian Legion" due to its campaigns against Pompey on the island earlier in the war - returned from Libya in 34 BC and landed in southern Sicily. Sextus Pompeius and his Legio V Gemina saw this as a perfect opportunity to defeat Octavian once and for all. Octavian faced certain defeat, as he faced both Pompey's army and the garrison of Syracuse. Surely, with two armies facing his numerically-inferior army, Octavian would be killed, as his army was too tired to retreat by sea or to leave the battlefield. Pompey's 1,600 troops met Octavian's 1,000 troops in battle on a field outside of the city, waiting for a decisive battle to occur.

Battle
Octavian's army was deployed to face the smaller garrison army first, hoping to catch it before it could meet up with Pompey's army. His first plan was to send his army into full attack and have at the garrison, but the garrison troops were too quick, and only a few were slain before they met up with the main army. Cautiously shifting his troops into a new defensive formation in the center of the field to meet Pompey's attack, Octavian prepared to do battle. He sent a third of his army to chase after the light infantry of the garrison on his left flank that were bothering his units, while he would remain behind the other two-thirds of his army and encourage them in their fight with Pompey. At many times, it appeared as if Octavian's army would rout, but Octavian inspired his men and intimidated his foes with war cries. Sextus Pompeius and his veteran legionnaries charged into battle, and Octavian again missed a good opportunity, as Pompey managed to fit in with other fighting troops and was not singled out to be slain. However, Octavian's left wing defeated the garrison units and charged into battle with Pompey's units. Pompey himself routed with a few other units, causing a general rout that led to the collapse of Pompeian morale and a return to Syracuse.

Aftermath
Octavian's army refused to miss another opportunity for a solid victory, so they chased down their foes, with Octavian and his cavalry tirelessly riding down retreating Pompeians and ensuring that the Pompeian army would be weak enough for him to seize Syracuse without much of a battle. This he did following his victory, and the battle allowed him to not only recapture Syracuse, but also bring his experienced legion across the island to recapture Agrigentum and Panormus, forcing Pompey off the island again. Septimus Peltrasius Structus' defense of Syracuse failed, and Octavian was seen as a great warrior by his comrades, winning a near-impossible victory.